A group of major European telecoms operators has called on regulators to release the entire upper 6GHz spectrum band for mobile services, warning that failure to act promptly could leave Europe trailing behind the United States and China in the global race to develop 6G technology.

In a joint letter seen by Reuters, twelve telecoms firms—including Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, and TIM—urged the European Union to allocate the full upper 6GHz band to support the next generation of mobile networks.

The upper 6 GHz range is one of the last remaining mid-band frequency blocks suitable for high-capacity mobile networks. While it has not yet been assigned for specific use in Europe, the United States approved its use for Wi-Fi in 2020, and China designated it for 5G and 6G services in 2023.

The companies argued that Europe’s hesitation could hinder its digital competitiveness. “If the decision to make the upper 6GHz band available to European mobile operators is delayed, while US technology interests are permitted to secure further 6GHz capacity, Europe’s competitiveness would be threatened,” the letter warned.

The EU’s Radio Spectrum Policy Group is expected to release a draft opinion on the future of the band in June. Telecom operators say existing spectrum is already insufficient to handle surging data demand and future 6G infrastructure, and delaying decisions could jeopardise Europe’s role in the next wave of wireless innovation.

Research on 6G technology is ongoing, with commercial rollout expected in the next decade.